Seleção boss Luiz Felipe Scolari has defended his record at former employers Chelsea as Brazil prepare to face Russia at Stamford Bridge.
Scolari spent an ill-fated seven months at the London club before being axed by owner Roman Abramovich after a run of poor results.
“It has been a joy to be back here, because I enjoyed my time at Chelsea," Scolari told reporters at Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon. “I was happy while I was here. The only thing I didn’t like was the cold! I had totally forgotten about it!
“I can’t tell [whether I would have won trophies at Chelsea], but I do know my time wasn’t as bad as people have made out. The numbers show that, and they don’t lie.
“We were third in the Premier League, we had progressed in the FA Cup and qualified for the Champions League knock-out stages. But I can’t really tell if I would have won something or not.
“Actually, I want to thank Chelsea for the opportunity to work here, and work with the people here, and to be with the supporters. It was a great time and I had a great experience working here. Having lived here in London with my family was one of the great experiences of my life."
Scolari rejected claims he should not have been sacked during his time with the Blues, and insisted owner Roman Abramovich and other senior Chelsea figures were well within their rights to let him go.
He added: “The sacking was a decision from the management. Everywhere I work I’m just a member of staff, and if someone thinks I’m not doing a good job, they can sack me. It happens everywhere.
“If I own my own company, when I decide someone needs to go, I take the decision. But here I’m just an employee, like anyone else."
Source: Goal.com
